Powerful Mexican drug cartel leader to face trial in New York

The leader of one of Mexico’s most powerful drug cartels is expected to appear in a U.S. court today.

Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada will be arraigned in New York, where he will face 17 charges.

The charges include drug trafficking, murder and money laundering.

Zambada, 76, has long been one of the world’s most wanted men, having eluded capture for more than two decades.

His arrest in July sent shockwaves through the criminal underworld, particularly in Mexico, where rival factions of the Sinaloa cartel have erupted into deadly conflicts.

Zambada’s indictment marks a milestone in the U.S. government’s long fight against the Sinaloa Cartel, the organization responsible for much of the heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine and fentanyl smuggled into the United States.

The union leader was captured after landing in a private plane at an airport near El Paso, Texas, on July 25.

He was accompanied by Joaquín Guzmán López, son of the famous drug lord and prolific escapologist Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, his former accomplice.

Together, these two men were a dominant force in the global drug trade for decades, amassing billions of dollars in the process.

Zambada claimed in a letter that he was forcibly abducted by Guzmán López and taken to the United States. However, U.S. authorities have yet to prove these allegations.

Prosecutors describe Zambada as a figure of unprecedented power and influence within the cartel, a man who operated with impunity for years.

“The defendant possessed an arsenal of military-grade weapons to protect his person, his drugs and his empire,” the U.S. attorneys wrote in a letter to the judge.

Zambada’s security forces were described as highly trained and heavily armed bodyguards who imposed his will across Mexico, Colombia and Ecuador.

The indictment also highlights the extensive use of “sicarios,” or hired killers, under Zambada’s command.

These assassins were used to eliminate rivals, silence informants and maintain control within one’s own organization.

In a chilling revelation, prosecutors accuse Zambada of ordering the murder of his own nephew months ago.

“The defendant has devoted his efforts for decades to increasing, expanding, and strengthening the power of the Cartel – as well as his individual power and position within the Cartel following the capture of his partner El Chapo,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Brooklyn wrote in a court filing Thursday.

Reports suggest that Zambada’s arrest sparked violent internal conflicts in Sinaloa.

Clashes between rival factions loyal to Zambada and those aligned with other sons of “El Chapo” Guzmán have led to a series of deadly shootings in Culiacán, the capital of Sinaloa state.

In recent weeks, schools and businesses have been forced to close due to violence that has erupted in the streets.

Once a unified criminal juggernaut, the Sinaloa cartel is now grappling with internal divisions that have intensified since Father Guzmán’s capture and extradition to the United States in 2017.

“El Chapo” was convicted in 2019 of drug trafficking and conspiracy and sentenced to life in prison.

Today, his sons, often called Los Chapitos, are said to be fighting for control of the cartel against Zambada loyalists.

Although Zambada pleaded not guilty in a previous court appearance in Texas, the charges he faces in New York could carry the death penalty if convicted.

U.S. prosecutors have already asked the court to deny bail, citing the extreme danger Zambada poses because of his resources, influence and long history of violence.

They argue that his imprisonment is essential for public safety.

The exact circumstances surrounding Zambada’s surrender to U.S. authorities remain unclear.

Guzmán López, who accompanied Zambada to the United States, has also been charged with drug trafficking and is awaiting trial in Chicago.

Why Guzmán López surrendered and brought Zambada with him remains a mystery.

Zambada’s indictment in New York is a major victory in the United States’ decades-long fight against international drug cartels.

According to the DEA, the Sinaloa cartel is responsible for at least a third of all narcotics entering the United States from Mexico, including a significant portion of the deadly fentanyl that has fueled the U.S. opioid crisis.

Between 2020 and 2022, fentanyl overdoses contributed to more than 100,000 deaths per year in the United States

This article includes reporting from The Associated Press